Osun Defender History Corner: October 24th In Focus

Today on the history corner, we took a trip down, in the realm of flashback and we were able to recall some events that marked this day.

October 24th, 1260

The eighth recorded perihelion passage of Halley’s Comet occurred.

October 24th, 1537

Jane Seymour, the third wife of King Henry VIII of England, died shortly after giving birth to Prince Edward, who would later become Edward VI.

October 24th, 1648

The Peace of Westphalia was signed, ending the Eighty Years’ War and the Thirty Years’ War in Europe.

October 24th, 1795

Poland’s Tadeusz Kościuszko, a military leader and national hero, was captured by the Russian army.

October 24th, 1857

Sheffield F.C., the world’s oldest football club still in operation, was founded in Sheffield, England.

October 24th, 1929

“Black Thursday” marked the beginning of the Wall Street Crash of 1929, leading to the Great Depression.

October 24th, 1940

Nigeria played a significant role in World War II when it joined the Allied forces, sending troops to Burma (now Myanmar) to fight against the Japanese.

October 24th, 1945

The United Nations was officially established.

October 24th, 1960

The first trial of the Adolf Eichmann, a Nazi war criminal, began in Jerusalem.

October 24th, 1963

Nigeria became a part of the Commonwealth, with Queen Elizabeth II as its ceremonial head of state.

October 24th, 1964

Zambia gained independence from British colonial rule.

October 24th, 1966

On this date, a group of Nigerian military officers led by Major Chukwuma Kaduna Nzeogwu carried out a coup d’état, resulting in the deaths of several senior political leaders, including Prime Minister Abubakar Tafawa Balewa and Premier Ahmadu Bello.

October 24th, 1971

Nigeria hosted the 3rd All-Africa Games in Lagos, showcasing its capabilities to host a major sporting event.

October 24th, 1973

The Yom Kippur War ended when a ceasefire was declared between Israel and Egypt.

October 24th, 1980

The Polish government legalized the Solidarity trade union.

October 24th, 1992

The Toronto Blue Jays became the first Major League Baseball team outside the United States to win the World Series.

October 24th, 1995

Nigeria’s most populous city, Lagos, saw a series of explosions at an ammunition depot, leading to widespread damage and casualties.

October 24th, 2003

The Concorde made its final commercial flight, marking the end of supersonic passenger travel.

October 24th, 2005

Civilian protests in Lebanon, known as the Cedar Revolution, forced the withdrawal of Syrian troops.

October 24th, 2012

Hurricane Sandy made landfall on the east coast of the United States, causing widespread damage and flooding.

October 24th, 2015

A magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck northern Afghanistan and Pakistan, resulting in significant casualties and damage.

October 24th, 2017

Catalonia declared independence from Spain, leading to a constitutional crisis.

October 24th, 2019

NASA astronauts Christina Koch and Jessica Meir conducted the first all-female spacewalk on the International Space Station.

October 24th, 2020

The United Nations celebrated its 75th anniversary.

October 24th, 2021

The Glasgow Climate Change Conference (COP26) began, bringing together world leaders to address climate change.

Please note that these are just a few historical events that happened on October 24th. History is full of numerous other significant events on this day, ranging from politics and warfare to cultural and scientific milestones.